Border security and counteraction to common threats. President approved decision to protect state border

17 февраля 2020
The border is like an impenetrable filter for crime affairs, but a comfortable bridge for respectable visitors. The President approved the decision to protect the state border today. This decision was caused by the challenges and constantly changing threats on the continent like high concentration of powerful weapons and new nationalities in Europe, use of force, information and cyber attacks. Belarus, as the keeper of national and allied borders, acquires special significance under such conditions.

Borders are experiencing real significant changes nowadays. 2009 was a starting point for the economic crisis and new local conflicts. Thoughts about broad Eurasia without borders and restrictions were excluded. Much of that concern Belarusian borders.

Our geographical location in the heart of Europe comes as disadvantage, when speaking about general security. We have no natural walls against crime like the ocean or mountains. There are an East-West political implosion, a conflict in Ukraine and most of the Eurasian channels of drug and weapons banditry select the shortest route. Another challenge is the open border in the East. The decision to protect the border for a year is the highest presidential level.

The Belarusian response to the threats of the recent years was the decision of the President to increase the staff of the border committee and accelerate the modernization of equipment and weapons at the border. Our border guards effectively conducted their work for the past year.

The total number of detentions of state border violators has almost halved. They amounted to 725 2 years ago, while now their number is 370. Despite the Ukrainian conflict and the migration waves towards the European Union, it became more than 2 times calmer in the Latvian, Ukrainian and Lithuanian directions.

Neither the Second European Games, nor the expansion of visa-free regime brought problems to the neighbors, which  means that Belarus is ready for the World Hockey Championship together with Latvia today. 

The head of the border agency describes the strategy for calm borders as the cooperative work between the border committee and the locals.

The work is successfully carried out much thanks to local people. They managed to disclose and stop 20 channels of illegal migration and 18 channels of drug smuggling. The volume of drug substances is more than a ton, which is twice as much as the year earlier. The case when the human factor works better than any hi-tech.

This year will not be easier in the military and political conditions. The largest NATO ground exercises will be held close to our borders in May. The republic will strengthen Polotsk border detachment and the border group in Grodno with maneuvering groups by the end of the year. A new border post in Chernihiv direction will be equipped. This means that the entire boundary line will be additionally controlled.

The decision to protect the border was signed by the Chief Commander today.